Overstrand Municipal Manager Dean O’Neill had a meeting with Eskom representatives on 10 February to discuss the electricity supply issues in the Kleinmond, Betty’s Bay, Pringle Bay and Rooi Els areas.
This meeting was originally initiated by Ward 10 councillor Theresa Els, after residents in Betty’s Bay were left without power (and no explanation from Eskom) for a number of days.
Zethu Sonjica, Eskom’s Customer Relations Area Manager for the Grabouw area, which includes the Overstrand, explained that Hangklip-Kleinmond is serviced by a 22 kVA-power line. The fact that this line is not easily accessible is the reason it took them so long to fix breakages on the line.
Eskom representatives gave the municipality the assurance that all possible repairs and maintenance to this line has been done. They conducted a visual inspection and also made use of a drone.
Further insight was given by Apollis Martin, Eskom’s Sector Manager for Grabouw, who did a power point presentation on the fault tracing and repairs to this line.
To find a workable and mutually acceptable solution to address the electricity problems, especially when a fault is detected on this line, the municipality insists there must be better communication from Eskom to its customers.
Eskom agreed to this request and undertook to arrange for a public meeting with the affected customers in this ward. A date will be announced by the energy supplier in due course.
The possibility that the municipality’s electricity department could undertake some of the minor repairs for specific house connections to shorten travelling time was also discussed. A dedicated local maintenance team to complete repairs was also suggested. This will be done only once an agreement with Eskom can be reached. Currently Eskom needs to send teams from Brackenfell and/or Grabouw to Betty’s Bay to address power line issues.
O’Neill confirmed the municipality will do everything in its power to keep Eskom accountable for the proper maintenance of its infrastructure within the municipal area.